Golf: US Open patrolled by police on Segway PTs

Police in the town of Pinehurst, North Carolina are patrolling the crowds at the US Open this year on Segway Personal Transporters (PTs). Segway PTs have become an essential management tool for public safety applications, where they carry first responders and their equipment quickly and quietly around events.

PINEHURST – Lawson Thomas can weave through the crowded sidewalks of the U.S. Open with ease thanks to a new set of wheels.

The Pinehurst police officer has been making his rounds in style this week from atop a Segway [PT].

“If there’s a call nearby, I can get to it quickly,” Thomas said. “I can actually move around easier than golf carts.”

So far, things have gone smoothly during the Open. Thomas said he’s assisted with a few minor calls. Thomas also has been the go-to guy when someone needs help finding a friend or family member.

“Being on the Segway puts you at least a foot higher, so you kind of have a bird’s eye view,” Thomas said. “I was able to spot the person they were looking for quickly.”

Throughout the week, Thomas said people have been approaching him to comment on his ride.

“Everyone thinks it’s neat,” he said. “It’s really been a good thing from a community policing standpoint because people are stopping to get to know us.”

The Segway i2 SE Patroller and Segway x2 SE Patroller are the models spec’d for the needs of public safety, and are widely used at events around New Zealand. The ability to move more rapidly through crowds on a Segway Patroller than in a golf cart is just one of the many benefits. And for roles that require a larger vehicle, the new three-wheeled Segway SE-3 Patroller.